Tile-making machine



Sept. 23 1924.

w. A. HISLOP TILE mxme MACHINE Filedfl'ct. 18-. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. HISLOP, OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO CALIFORNIA ART TILE h,

OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, A COPARTNERSI-IIP CONSISTING- OF ALBERT C. MYERS, CHARLES E. CUMMINGS, LEWIS J'. HISLOP, JAMES W. I-IISLOP, AND WIL- LIAM A. HISLOIP.

TILE-MAKING- MACHINE.

Application filed October 18, 1923. Serial No. 669,274.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. HISLOP,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Contra Costa and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tile-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machinery for making tiles and resides in the provision of simply constructed, comparatively inexpensive and highly efiicient apparatus for cutting tiles from a slab of tile forming material.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which may be easily and cheaply operated to produce a large number of tiles in a comparatively short time, the mechanism being reliable and accurate in operation so that the tiles produced thereby will be uniform as to size and appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tile making machine of the character described having a novel means for cutting a slab of plastic material into tiles, which means is simple as to construction and operation, not likely to get'out of order and capable of being easily adjusted so that tiles of difierent sizes may be produced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described in which, in combination with the cutting means there is provided a simple and efficacious means for forming fancy edges on the tiles, preferably rounded edges.

With the above mentioned and other ob jeots in view, the-invention consists inthe novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood; that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the tile forming machine of the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of said tile forming machine.

Each collar is a plastic slab showing one of the grooves formed therein in order to provide rounded edges on the tiles cut from the slab.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a table or like support mounted on legs or standards 2. Supported above the table by a plurality of spaced posts 3 is a cutting bed 4:, which is provided with a plurality of intersecting narrow slots 5, defining a plurality of squares. These slots are out through the table at points between the posts 3 so that the cutting means which will be later more fully described, will not be interfered with in being extended through the slots. The bed 4 is adapted to support a slab A of plastic material of .which the tiles are formed, which slab is in a semi-hardened condition in order that it may be cut into tiles.

The cutting mechanism comprises, in, this instance, two cutting members generally designated 6 and 7, which are identically constructed. Each of these members comprises a substantially rectangular frame 8 having extending from one end thereof trunnions 9, which are journaled in bearing's 10 extending upwardly from the base or table 1. The frame for the cutting memher 6- is mounted on one side of the table and the frame for the cuttingmember 7 is mounted on an adjacent side of the table and extends at right angles to the frame for the cutter 6. Each frame is of a size such that it maybe swung over and below the plane of the bed 4. Mounted on each frame are a plurality of cutting wires 11 which extend between upper and lower pieces of the frame and are connected with sleeves or collars 12 which are adjustably mounted on said upper and lower portions of the frame. provided with a set screw 13, whereby said collars may be held in adjusted position. The wires are disposed so.

g in a higher plane than the trunnions'for,

the devicefi so that after the cutting memher 6 has been moved into position, the cutting member 7 may be swung into cutting position over the cutting memberb and both sets of the cutting Wires may be caused to pass through said slots 5. Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided to hold the cutting devices 6 and 7 in upright position. The friction between the trunnions and bearings may be made sufficiently great to provide for this.

I Asa means for providing specially shaped edges on tiles formed by this maehine, there is provided a die member 14 in the form of a re ctilinear flat plate and provided with die elements 15 on its under face. This die is attached centrally of its upper side to a rod 16 which extends into a tubul if member 17 and is pivoted thereto by a fa tening element 18. The inside diameter of the tube is greater than the dimeter of the rod 16 so that there is a certain amount of relative movement permitted between the parts 16 and 17. The tube 17 is attached to and extends downwardly from the mediate portion of an operating lever 19, which lever also is pivoted between its ends as at 20, to standards 21 extending upwardly from the base or table 1. The inner end of the lever 19 is extended right-angularly and upwardly as at 22 and carries a counterweight 23 such that the die willbe maintained in up position out of the path of movementof the cutting members 6 and 7, at all times. on the bed 4 are upstanding guide members 24 with which recessed guide lugs- 25 on the die 14 engage, These lugs 25 engage the posts when the die is lowered so that the die is properly centered with relation to the slab or plastic material. l

, In the operation of the device, the slab A is placed in proper position on the bed land the operator then grasps the free end of the lever 19 and moves the same downwardly against the action of the weight 23 so as to bring the die 14; into engagement with the slab A, The lugs Qeengaging with the posts 24: center the die with respect to the cslab so that the members 15, of the die will, form grooves of the shape shown at B, in Fig. 4i, in said slab which grooves will aline with theslots 5, in the bed 4. The relative movement permitted the rod 16 and tube 17 insures the proper seating of the die on the plastic slab, rhelower portions of the grooves thus formedare the points at which the slab is to be cutand when the slab is cut into tiles, each tile willtherefore have a rounded upper edge on all sides. After 9 b i g ad .m hgih sl t e operator lifts up on the level a d ves the die 14 into the, out-of-thefway position, in 1, the weight 23., maintaining said die in such pesition. The operator then moves the frame 8 of the cutting device 6 downwardly and forwardly so that the wires 11 thereof will engage the slab in the grooves B and cut through the slab throughout its length in one cutting member 6 is continued in its downward movement until the wires, after cutting through the slab, pass through the slots 5 and eome to rest below the bed 4. The operator then moves the cutting device 7 in the same manner downwardly onto the bed so that the wires 11 thereof will cut through the slab in the opposite direction and thereby divide the slab into a number of pieces comprising the tiles. The member 7 in being pivoted at a higher point than the member 6 will extend through the slots 5 and below the bed, over the member 6 without interference. The slab thus cut into til-es is then pushed off of the bed onto a conveyor, not shown, or other supporting device, in order that said tiles may be baked or otherwise treated, as the case may be. After removal of the tiles, the cutting members G and 7 are lifted to normal position and the machine is ready for another tile forming operation. I

, By removing the bed plate and substituting another bed plate with the intersecting slots 5 spaced apart at different distances and likewise adjusting the sleeves 12 so as to space the wires ll correspondingly, it will be seen tiat tiles of different sizes may be readily cut. changing the bed and 11 is simple and easily With the foregoing description and accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that I have provided a simply constructed, small, compact and efiicacieus hand operated machine, which may be readily and easily operated to form tiles.

I claim:

h 1. Atile makingmachine comprising a support, a bed on the support having intersecting slots therein, on which bed a slab of plastic material is adapted to rest, a cutter member mounted on the support on one side of the bed, a similar cutter member extending alongtn adjacent side of the bed, each of said cutting members comprising a frame and a plurality of cutting wires carried by said frame and adapted to cut through the slab and extend into the slots in said bed on movement of said cutting members downwardly over said bed.

2. A tile making machine comprising a support, a bed on the support having intersecting slots therein, on which bed a slab of plastic material is adapted torest, a cutter melnber mountedonthesupport on adjusting the wires effected,

direction. The

The operation of one side 'of the bed, a similar cutter member extending along an ad'acentside the'bed each of said cutting members a frame, a plurality of'cutting wires carried the support for forming depressions in the upper face of the slab on the bed, through which depressions the wires are adapted to cut.

3. A tile making machine comprising a support, a bed on the support having intersecting slots therein, on which bed a slab of plastic material is adapted to rest, a cutter member mounted on the support on one side of the bed, a similar cutter member extending along an adjacent side of the bed, each of said cutting members comprising a frame and a plurality of cutting wires carried by said frame and adapted to cut through the slab and extend into the slots in said bed on movement of said cutting members downwardly over said bed, a die mounted on the support so as to be swung into and out of position adapted to engage the slab, which die is constructed so as to form intersecting depressions in the upper face of the slab, through which depressions said wires are adapted to cut and means for normally holding said die in position out of the path of movement of said cutting members.

4. A tile making machine comprising a support," a bed on the support adapted to support a slab of plastic material, said bed having a plurality of intersecting slots 35 therein, cutting members mounted along certain sides of the bed so as to be movable into and out of position for cutting said slab, each of said cutting members including a plurality of cutting wires adapted to extend through the slab and into the slots of the bed, said cutting members being pivoted on the support, one at a higher point than the other and both below the plane of the bed.

5. A tile making machine comprising a support, a plastic slab supporting bed carried by the support and having a plurality of intersecting slots therein, a plurality of frames mounted on the support along certain sides of said bed and arranged to swing downwardly and over said bed, a plurality of cutting wires extending between members of said frame and adapted to extend through the slab on the bed and into the slots on movement of the frames over said bed.

6. A tile making machine comprising a support, a plastic slab supporting bed carried by the support and having a plurality of intersecting slots therein, a plurality of frames mounted on the support along certain sides of said bed and arranged to swing downwardly and over said bed, a plurality of cutting wires extending between members of said frame and adapted to extend through the slab on the bed and into the slots on movement of the frames over said bed, and means for adjustably connecting said wires with the frame providing for varying the spacing of the wires from one another.

WILLIAM A. HISLOP. 

